Rockies’ Walt Weiss: ‘Wilin Rosario very serviceable at 1st’

The Rockies are counting on catcher Wilin Rosario to be able to play some first base in 2015.(John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Scottsdale, Ariz. — There’s a lot riding on Wilin Rosario’s conversion into a part-time first baseman, because Rockies manager Walt Weiss made it clear Thursday that the club won’t carry three pure catchers on its 25-man roster.

“I don’t think it can be strictly three catchers,” Weiss said. “Somebody is going to have to be more versatile than just a catcher. I don’t envision carrying three catchers only.

“Obviously, you are talking about Wilin at first base. I think he’s going to be very serviceable over there and the more things he can do, the better it is for us.”

Unless the Rockies end up trading Rosario and his $2.8 million salary this spring — something I still think is possible — the situation for backup catcher Michael McKenry remains muddled.

He also is a trade possibility. especially as spring training winds down and other teams start looking for a backup catcher. McKenry’s out of options, so the club can’t ship him down to the minors. He’ll make $1.1 million this season.

McKenry hit .315 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs in 57 games (168 at-bats) last season. It was a step forward for McKenry, who’s fully recovered from the knee injury he suffered in 2013 with the Pirates.

“He did a great job for us last year and swung the bat extremely well,” Weiss said. “He’s put himself in a good position.”

But if Rosario doesn’t pan out as a back-up first baseman, the Rockies will have to choose between Rosario and McKenry as the No. 2 catcher behind Nick Hundley. The Rockies would likely go with Rosario, because of his power and his ability to hit left-handed pitching. His career numbers vs. lefties: .328/.361/.647 with an OPS of 1.009 and 30 homers in 357 at-bats.

“I’m at the point in my career where I don’t worry about roster moves and that sort of thing,” McKenry said. “I concentrate on what I can do to get better and help my team get better.”

All the so-called experts claiming that Rosario at first base can’t pick balls thrown into the dirt by other infielders are ignoring the fact that if anyone can do it it’s someone who is also a catcher. For example, how many times did he have to dig out a pitch by Rex Brothers. We need Rosario, either at first or as a catcher. His bat is irreplaceable.

Mike321

I think me and you are the minority here.

As a backup catcher and a late inning power guy off the bench, this could be his best role since what other power has this team had off the bench in recent seasons? I am not sure I buy the 1B idea with so little experience as a guy like Posey who plays both positions played the infield for Florida State in his earlier days and even in the Giants minor leagues he was playing both. To think Wilin can transform over the offseason might be wishful thinking.

Unless an AL team comes calling with a very nice prospect or some immediate pitching help, I would keep Wilin especially if he isn’t forced into catching 125 games a year. This role works nicely.

The bigger question is if McHenry’s 2014 season was a fluke since he has never come close to those numbers previously…in fact his previous numbers were abysmal. If he looks like the same guy in Spring that he did in 2014…then it will be a tough decision.

Herm Villanova

The bottom line here re. Rosario to me is that if Weiss thinks he can play the position, that’s good enough for me. Re. Mr. Blues’ comments about 1st base being easy to play….hell no. There is no such position in baseball.
Rosario is not the best receiver in baseball but his arm sure is. Calling a game is mostly done from the bench, so the catcher shouldn’t get so much credit or blame for that part of the game. Framing pitches is somewhat controversial in that the umpire behind the plate, for many old school catchers, should be calling the pitch based on where it crosses the plate, not where it’s received by the catcher. (But that’s another subject entirely.)

Jimbotronn

I agree that the concern about Rosario at first base is puzzling. It seems to me that it’s a chicken little syndrome, folks who are just operating on the assumption that anything the Rockies try is a bad idea simply because the Rockies are trying it. No, 1B is not “easy” at the major league level, but there’s a reason all the big fat slow guys play there… athletic 1B like Helton are the exception rather than the rule. Rosario is going from perhaps the most difficult defensive position to one of the easiest. There is no reason to judge his potential as a 1B based on his play as a catcher.

The last big power bat off the bench for the Rockies was probably Giambi, who as a first baseman was a great DH. If Rosario can approximate Giambi’s level of defense with the bat we saw his first two seasons, he will be a valuable piece for Weiss this year.

Deacon Blues

“if anyone can do it it’s someone who is also a catcher.”

Normally, I’d tend to agree with you, but the problem is, he isn’t very good at it behind the plate, where all he has to do is sit in one spot. He’s led the league in passed balls all three years in the league (21, 9, 12). His errors have come down (13, 9, 7).

Playing 1st isn’t as easy as some people think. Not just saving your infielders throws, but playing the corner infield position, he’ll get the hardest hit balls as well. He’ll need to be more mobile, agile. I imagine if you’re a pitcher, it would be quite the conundrum, “do I want him behind the plate, or anchoring my infield?”

Personally, I think the development aspect of this organization has failed another of it’s prospects. Highly touted in the minors, but it’s been painfully obvious since he arrived, he can’t keep the ball in front of him, he couldn’t frame a pitch or call a ballgame to save his life. In the minors he threw out runners at a 40% clip, but that’s even declined. As much as they’ve talked about playing 1st the past two or three years, he’s only played nine games at 1st, started seven, committing 3 errors.

Hopefully his bat doesn’t decline any further. Cross your fingers.

Reg42

“…Wilin at first base. I think he’s going to be very serviceable over there.”

How is he serviceable there when he’s not even serviceable at the position he’s been playing his whole career, catcher? I like Rosario’s power but the Rockies should have traded him to AL team where he can DH and take pennies on the dollar. The less he plays anywhere on the field, the more his value goes down.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.